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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 6 Hansard (19 June) . . Page.. 1872 ..

MS TUCKER (continuing):

The Jabiluka proposal by ERA would also include a road and bridge construction in a previously undisturbed area. The Aboriginal people of the area - the Mirrar people - are also opposed to this mine. They have indicated that they will accept no mining royalties if the mine proceeds. On this basis alone, the mine should not proceed. They also launched action in the Federal Court, on 11 June, challenging the validity of the Jabiluka mineral lease. Other proposals are the Kintyre deposit - 1,200 kilometres north-east of Perth - Yeelirrie and Honeymoon. All are in arid areas and would require underground water, which poses huge risks of ground water contamination - not for five years, not for 10 years, but for hundreds of thousands of years. There is also a proposal on the table to expand Roxby Downs.

Uranium is a serious hazard to both people and our planet for a greater length of time than any of us can even imagine. Radioactive waste can remain a hazard for hundreds of thousands of years. There is still no proven technology for safely storing waste. It is one of the most toxic substances on the planet, and these costs will be borne by future generations. I say this in our local parliament because I believe that, if we had more politicians standing up in local parliaments and speaking against this Federal Government's policies on uranium, we might see some change. I wish that I could see support on this issue from other members in this place, who would join me in the adjournment debates for the next sitting period, next week.

Question resolved in the affirmative.

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